DES MOINES, IOWA (RFD NEWS) — Grain bin entrapments are on the rise across the country as high grain stockpiles continue to increase on-farm storage needs. With more grain being held longer, safety experts say the risks inside grain bins are growing more serious. To address those concerns, Nationwide is once again spotlighting the issue through Grain Bin Safety Week, which is currently underway. The annual initiative, launched in 2014, focuses on education, prevention, and emergency preparedness in rural communities.
Derek Hommer, an Iowa farmer and leader of Nationwide’s Grain Bin Safety Team, joined us on Friday’s Market Day Report to discuss the growing dangers of grain bin entrapments, especially as the industry faces record corn production and storage challenges.
In his conversation with RFD NEWS, Hommer emphasized the importance of using Grain Bin Safety Week to raise national awareness of the issue and highlighted educational tools designed to help farmers prevent entrapments before they occur. He also outlined Nationwide’s Nominate Your Fire Department Contest, an initiative that provides rescue equipment and training to rural fire departments to better prepare them to respond to grain bin emergencies.
Before wrapping up, Hommer shared final safety reminders for farmers and ranchers as Grain Bin Safety Week continues.
